35 Years Since Star Wars: Holiday Special.

star wars 

“35 years ago today, Star Wars fans were excited to see the first follow-up to the record-breaking, smash hit film that had opened the year before. Unfortunately, what they got was The Star Wars Holiday Special…”


From IGN:


Yes, it was on November 17th, 1978 that the infamous Holiday Special had its one and only airing. It’s become an infamous piece of Star Wars history – never legally released in any format since, making it a popular bootleg item. George Lucas himself, who had little to do with the Holiday Special, has made snarky references to it, though amusingly, elements introduced in the Special — most notably, Chewbacca’s family — did actually continue on via various Expanded Universe novels and such.

The Star Wars Holiday Special is a pretty amazing “What were they thinking?!” display. Long sequences, spoken in the Wookiee language with no subtitles? Chewbacca’s father having what appears to be awfully close to virtual reality sex with a human woman? Jefferson Starship?! Bea Arthur?! Oh, and of course, Princess Leia singing the Life Day song. It’s like the people making it were trying to get themselves on Mystery Science Theater 3000 – you know, if that show existed yet when it was made.

star wars

George Lucas has suffered criticism from fans in the past few years, with some saying he should turn the reins of Star Wars over to someone else. But the last time he did that – he had almost nothing to do with The Holiday Special – look at what we got. Lucas himself has ripped into the Holiday Special in interviews and convention appearances when the subject is brought up, and seemed to have a great time declaring, “It was so bad!!!” when he voiced himself in a promo for the Robot Chicken: Star Wars special and opened up to a psychiatrist about The Holiday Special.

star wars

If nothing else, The Star Wars Holiday Special gave us Boba Fett. That’s right, the ever-cool and popular bounty hunter made his first appearance here – about a year and a half before Empire Strikes Back opened – in a short animated segment of the special. It’s worth noting that the Boba Fett segment is the first time we saw any of this galaxy in toon form. Of course, the animated portion of The Holiday Special isn’t all that good either, but at least it’s an actual Star Wars style adventure, as Luke works with a mysterious new ally, Boba Fett, to rescue Han and Chewbacca… only to find out that Fett is not to be trusted.


If you still haven’t seen it:


Website | + posts

Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.

Born on April 24, 1980.

Val Trichkov (Viral Hide)

Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.Born on April 24, 1980.

9 thoughts on “35 Years Since Star Wars: Holiday Special.

  • November 18, 2013 at 12:10 pm
    Permalink

    Why did they make Luke so effeminate?

    • November 18, 2013 at 3:21 pm
      Permalink

      My guess is that they laid on the make up really thick due to Mark Hamill’s facial scars which were probably really fresh from the accident at that time.

  • November 18, 2013 at 12:28 pm
    Permalink

    well if they want to make episode 7 exciting, how about bringing in Chewbacca wife, and father and I know that his son is old enough now to fly with Han in the falcon, he can take Chewbacca place since Chewie dies in the expanded universe books,

    • November 18, 2013 at 3:49 pm
      Permalink

      Please be joking. You think THAT will make episode 7 exciting? And can people please just shut up about the expanded universe. They’ve said it’s going to be an original story. I really hope Chewbacca can come back just to shut you lot up, or watch you pointlessly moan haha 🙂

    • November 18, 2013 at 7:52 pm
      Permalink

      As a fan of the EU, I wouldn’t care if they brought Chewie back because then it would all just be a distant dream….

  • November 18, 2013 at 12:40 pm
    Permalink

    However the Holiday Special is the “never again” thing to happen in the SW franchise, it has the importance to have introduced Boba Fett.

  • November 18, 2013 at 8:02 pm
    Permalink

    the only part of this special officialy released to the public was the animated segment. It’s on the complete saga blu-ray set.

  • November 19, 2013 at 12:45 pm
    Permalink

    Sometimes something is so bad, that it becomes good, inn an odd kind of way. But the Star Wars Holiday special, is so bad, that it stays bad. Its beyond bad, it really deserves a new word for bad.
    This is worse than changing the fact that Han shoot first. This is worse than Jar Jar….hold on….no….Jar Jar is worse.

Comments are closed.

LATEST POSTS ON MOVIE NEWS NET